Downswing

[clownshoes]

You mean everyones not the same?!?!

[rory]

I think the point of the post was to a) make myself feel better by recieving accolades by posting something semi-interesting on HUSH b) help others to learn to do a healthy self-evaluation when in a downswing (or upswing or plateauswing) by example c) make a little joke by posting a downswing post d) discuss some of the psychological parts of poker which are the most interesting to me right now.

[DMBFan23]

all we need now is Maxx

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It's a Cold World, Baby Girl

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[krishanleong]

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So, I am on a downswing right now, not a huge downswing but it is still one.

Here is what is happening to me psychologically:

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Me too... Ones in red I agree with.

1. I am reluctant to move below a limit that I'm over a 1 BB/100 winner at over 150+K hands. Even if moving down will restore confidence.
<font color="red"> 2) I am apt to become frustrated more quickly when playing, both when simply losing money or when losing money I have won in a session. </font>
3. I never quit a good game to book a win. I tend to want to play a lot more when stuck if I know I'm playing well.
5. I still think I'm very very good.
7. I bought my first pack of Magic cards in over a year yesterday. May just be coincidence.
10. <font color="red"> I am more likely to seriously review my hands after a session to see where I felt like I made mistakes, rather than give a cursory examination. </font> <font color="red">
14) I feel bad for myself. </font>
17. I desperately PM players that I have a lot of respect for looking for coaching. 0 for 5 so far.

Krishan

[ChicagoTroy]

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12) I play very short hit and run sessions, and only play when I am feeling completely amped up and ready to attack the table.

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Can you explain this one? I tend to play longer, marathon sessions when I am running bad.

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El Diablo has hit this one before. If you do that, you are playing a higher percentage of your hands when you are stuck/running bad. It's a disadvantageous strategy.

Most of the really good players he knows (according to him) are more likely to quit a session if they start getting stuck, and play longer when they are running good. As a result you spend more of your time playing when you feel good and are playing better &amp; tilting less.

Marathon sessions when stuck tend to be a symptom of "I have to get even" syndrome. Not good.

[baronzeus]

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12) I play very short hit and run sessions, and only play when I am feeling completely amped up and ready to attack the table.

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Can you explain this one? I tend to play longer, marathon sessions when I am running bad.

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El Diablo has hit this one before. If you do that, you are playing a higher percentage of your hands when you are stuck/running bad. It's a disadvantageous strategy.

Most of the really good players he knows (according to him) are more likely to quit a session if they start getting stuck, and play longer when they are running good. As a result you spend more of your time playing when you feel good and are playing better &amp; tilting less.

Marathon sessions when stuck tend to be a symptom of "I have to get even" syndrome. Not good.

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My more recent marathon sessions are me telling myself that I am playing fine and I need to play through the downswing anyhow, right? Coming back the next day doesn't mean your downswing is going to go away. Theoretically we have the exact same EV per hand we play at a juicy table no matter when we play it.

As long as the tilt doesn't affect you, you may as well play until you get tired, especially if you are focusing more than usual.

Another thing that I think is that if I completely play through my downswing in a few days, I am better off psychologically than if I play less hands over the course of a few weeks--losing consistently for a month sucks.

[rory]

I don't play well when I am running bad, so I don't play for long. I guess it is that because I am sort of wounded that little barbs get through to me easier, and so I am likely to become a little bit off center if I take a bad beat or don't get cards or something. Less resilient. So my sessions are short. Er.

[ChicagoTroy]

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Coming back the next day doesn't mean your downswing is going to go away. Theoretically we have the exact same EV per hand we play at a juicy table no matter when we play it.

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People are not robots. Yes, if you are tilting and go away and come back when you aren't, your EV has gone up. You're right, theoretically it doesn't. In practice, it does.

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As long as the tilt doesn't affect you

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By definition, tilt affects you.

I was just repeating what El D., Zee, and many others have said. I do it myself and find it helps.

[baronzeus]

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By definition, tilt affects you

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I should have phrased it differently. I meant to say, as long as you don't tilt. It's nearly impossible, I know, but some people are better than others. I'm just saying that sometimes it's worse for me tilt-wise to have a bunch of losing sessions in a row than it is to have one long losing session.

[SomethingClever]

17) I seriously consider killing myself.

It's a cold world, baby girl.